Means for dispensing glue or adhesives in predetermined volumes,particularly for use in the manufacture of packages of cardboard



Aug. 5, 1969 G. RUUD 3,459,336

MEANS FOR DISPENSING GLUE OR ADHESIVES IN PREDETERMINED VOLUMES,PARTICULARLY FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PACKAGES OF CARDBOARD FiledFeb. 21, 1968 h f f 3 76 15 f 7 I18 17 22 24 E 77 1 l\ 7 L J 79 79 1 202o 23 25 v I L ,L E

United States Patent Olfice 3,459,336 MEANS FOR DISPENSING GLUE RADHESIVES IN PREDETERMINED VOLUMES, PARTICU- LARLY FOR USE IN THE,MANUFACTURE OF PACKAGES 0F CARDBOARD Gunnar Ruud, Elgveien 12,Sarpsbor'g, Norway Filed Feb. 21, 1968, Ser. No. 707,207 Claimspriority, application Norway, Feb. 27, 1967, 167,047; Mar. 22, 1967,167,418 Int. Cl. B67d /62, 5/54; G01f 11/10 US. Cl. 222-446 4 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Application of glue or other adhesives tocardboard blanks which are to be formed into cardboard boxes or othertypes of packages, is made by means of movable members having recessesfor reception of a predetermined volume of adhesive when moved intosame, the adhesive being applied to the blank by an air burst suppliedto the recesses through channels in said members.

The invention is related to means for applying glue or similar adhesiveon various parts of blanks of cardboard for packages in the manufactureof cardboard boxes and similar containers, which finally may be closedand sealed.

The conventional types of glue for this purpose are of a comparativelyhigh viscosity due to the working principles of the machines, and thesetypes of glue need a long drying time which necessitates large machines.This difficulty may be overcome by using types of glue which are solidat ordinary temperature and which are applied in hot condition, the gluesolidifying so rapidly that the excessive drying time is eliminated. Awell suited glue of this type is marketed under the name hot melt, andthe purpose of the invention is to provide means, utilizing this orother types of glue which are to be transferred to the cardboard blankin hot condition imme diately prior to folding of the blanks to boxes.This is in accordance with the invention achieved by placing the hotglue in one or in a plurality of small predetermined portions on adispensing member cooperating with the container for the glue, thedispensing member being provided with channels which through a valve isconnected to a source of gas under pressure, from which a gas burst atthe correct moment will shoot the glue portions on to the correctlocation on the cardboard blank, which immediately and prior tosolidifying of the glue, is folded to the required box, while the gluestill is sticking. The applicator device comprises a heated containerfor the glue, the container being provided with the dispensing memberpreferably in the form of a round bar or shaft which on the surfaces isprovided with recesses of a volu-mc corresponding to the desired volumeof the glue portion, the member being so supported in the container thatthe recesses may be brought into a desired position in relation to thatpart of the cardboard blank on which the glue portions are to be placed.The recesses are through channels in the dispensing member in connectionwith a source of air under pressure, from which powerful air burst atthe right moment will shoot the glue portions from the recesses on tothe blank which has been brought into correct position in the machine.The dispensing member is thereafter moved in such a manner in relationto the glue container that the recesses in its surface may be filledwith new portions of glue and then again it returns to position forshooting of the glue on to the succeeding cardboard blank.

The glue container is provided with thermostatically controlled heatingelements, the sensing component of 3,459,336 Patented Aug. 5, 1969 whichbeing located in the material of the container so that it will notcontact the glue and consequently overheating of the glue is avoided.

The invention will in the following be described more in detail withreference to the drawing on which:

FIGURE 1 is a section through an embodiment of the invention, with thedispensing member in filling position in the container.

FIGURE 2 is a corresponding section where the dispensing member is inshooting position,

FIGURE 3 is a section through another embodiment of the invention, thesection being taken along the line III-III 0n FIGURE 4,

FIGURE 4 is a section taken along the line IV-IV on FIGURE 3, and

FIGURE 5 is a section through the dispensing member to an enlargedscale.

On FIGURES 1 and 2 the glue container 1 with a certain volume of glue 2is provided with a dispensing member 3, which in this embodiment has theform of a slide. The slide has on its surface a recess 4 incommunication with a centrally located channel 6 which by means of aflexible hose is in connection with a source of compressed air (notshown). In the bottom of the container 9 there is provided a heatingelement 10 which is thermostatically controlled, the temperature sensingmeans 11 being connected to a control device by means of a thin tube 12.When the slide is in the position shown on FIG- URE 1, the glue willfill the recess 4, and when the slide is moved out of the container, asshown on FIGURE 2, the glue portion in the recess will be in correctposition above a cardboard blank 8 and the glue will by a released airburst as indicated by the arrow 7, through the channel 6 be shot ontothe cardboard blank as a spray of droplets distributed on the blank in acircular area. The slide is then again moved into the container to theposition shown on FIGURE 1 in order to refill the recess with anotherportion of glue. Simultaneously with the feeding of the succeedincardboard blank the slide is moved out of the container to the positionshown on FIGURE 2, and the glue portion will be shot down on to theblank by another air burst.

The synchronization of the feeding of the cardboard blanks and theadvance of same, with the reciprocation of the slide and the air burstsfrom the source of compressed air, is carried out by means ofmicroswitches acted upon by the advanced cardboard blanks or by any ofthe other components in motion, the microswitches giving bursts toelectromagnetic valves controlling the compressed air to and from thevarious pneumatic cylinders in the machine.

On FIGURES l and 2 the slide is shown with only one recess, but thenumber of recesses may be adjusted to the purpose in each case. Theslide may further be rotated or if it is advantageous to be able toshoot the glue on to cardboard blanks having such positions that theglue has to be shot in other directions than downwardly as shown on thedrawing.

FIGURES 3 and 4 discloses an embodiment of the invention in which a rowof glue dots is applied to a blank in one operation. The dispensingmember 15 is provided with five recesses 17 and the dispensing member'15 is rotatable in the bottom section 19 of the glue container, therotation bringing the recesses 17 into alignment with a row of apertures20 in the bottom of the container when the dispensing member is inposition for transfer of the glue to the cardboard blank. FIGS. 3 and 4show the rotatable dispensing member 15 in the discharge position. Therecesses are, through channels 27 (FIGURE 5) and 16, in communicationwith a source of compressed air (not shown). The supply of compressedair is controlled by an electromagnetically operated air valve having atime relay. The valve is operated by a micro switch when the advancedcardboard blank touches the switch when the blank is in correct positionunder the dispensing member. The rotatable dispensing member 15 isprovided with a gear wheel 18 which by means of a rack (not shown) maybe rotated 180 about its axis, so that the dispensing member after eachdispensing of glue onto the cardboard blank 21 is rotated 180. Thus therecesses will be directed up into the container 13 and they will befiled with glue.

The electric heating element 22 with leads 23 are diagrammatically shownon FIGURE 4, connected to a controller 26 which, through the thin tube25, is connected to a temperature censor 24.

FIGURE is a section through the dispensing members 3 and with thecentrally located air channel 6 (16) and the transverse chanel 27 withthe recesses 4. The recesses are shown semispherical, but may also be ofa conical shape or design in any other suitable manner.

Due to the effective distribution of the glue on the cardboard blankobtained with the described means, the quantities of glue used may bereduced, and it is possible to employ glue types which previously couldnot be used due to their high viscosity.

The term glue includes in this case any adhesive suitable for thisparticular purpose.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for dispensing a fluid adhesive in small proportions onto asurface to be adhered, particularly for the manufacture of packages andboxes of cardboard and similar materials, said apparatus including acontainer for the fluid adhesive, a rotatable dispensing memberrotatably supported in the container with its surface in engagement witha portion of the wall of the container, said portion of the containerwall in engagement with the rotatable dispensing member being providedwith a discharge aperture for fluid adhesive, the surface of therotatable dispensing member being provided with a recess for receiving aportion of adhesive when the recess is in a position facing into thefluid adhesive in the container, a passageway for gas under pressurelocated in the rotatable dispensing member, a channel connecting saidpassageway with the inner portion of said recess, said recess beingadapted to register with the aperture in the container wall when therotatable dispensing member is rotated from said position to a positionto a position in which the recess in the rotatable dispensing member isin alignment with the discharge aperture, said recess then being in aposition to receive a gas burst from said passageway for shooting aportion of adhesive in the recess through the discharge aperture ontothe surface to be adhered.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the portion of the containerwall in engagement with the rotatable dispensing member is provided witha row of dis charge apertures, and wherein the rotatable dispensingmember is provided with a row of recesses for receiving adhesive, saidrecesses being adapted to be brought into alignment with the respectiveapertures in the container wall.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the distances betweenadjacent apertures and recesses are less than the diameter of each ofthe applied adhesive dots so that the dots in the row overlap eachother.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including an electric heatingelement mounted in the bottom wall of the container, a controllerconnected by leads to the heating element, a temperature sensor locatedin the bottom wall of the container in spaced relation to the heatingelement. and means connecting the temperature sensor to the controller.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,528,022 3/1925 Keiser 2221942,020,916 11/1935 Still 222194 2,758,338 8/1956 Lynn 222-146 3,244,3284/1966 Brown 222-194 3,272,396 9/1966 Neville 222194 WALTER SOBIN,Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

